Brakes Tick When Warm

[RobertCL]

I can hear a regular ticking noise from the front drivers side wheel once I've used a brakes a few times - like something is catching or rubbing. The frequency of the ticking varies with speed and if I gently apply the brakes the noise stops until I release the brakes then it starts again.

It doesn't happen until I've used the brakes a couple of times and is worse (louder) if I slam the brakes on and drive off again - I'm guessing that something is getting hot and expanding and touching something.

Any ideas what this might be ?

It doesn't seem to affect the performance of the brakes at all (car still stops ok) but the noise is pretty annoying and I kind of feel that things related to brakes shouldn't be ignored! From what I can see of the discs and pads (without taking the wheel off) they look reasonable.

Thing is, I'm getting a new car in about 12 weeks and I don't really want to have to spend any money on the Clio before then so don't really want to take it to a garage to have them look at it and suggest new discs and pads or something like that.

 

[Russ_16v]

could be a loose pad mate? brake to a halt then reverse bk and apply the brakes if it clunks then the pads are loose or slightly too small

 

[BrianR]

Quite normal, its just the heat dissipating.

Drive slower or don't brake :evil:

 

[RobertCL]

^ Err. It's definitely not normal! It never used to do it and it only does it on one wheel.

I'll try the reverse back thing next time I go out - would the clunck be obvious? I always reverse into my drive and I've never noticed anything, but I wouldn't be listening for it particularly.

 

[BrianR]

I would think the first thing to do is get the wheel off and have a look.

You might have picked up something on the road, or the CV joint boot clip might be loose and catching the hub.

Its no good looking through the spokes, get the wheel off. get your hands dirty, its half the fun of owning a car

 

[RobertCL]

Ugh. I know you are right, but last time I jacked up the car I bent the front jacking point and now I'm wary of bending it more, or it breaking while its on the the jack and ending up with a nasty hole in my car! (Or worse I guess, ending up with a car on my head!)

I'll probably have a look tomorrow. I think if I don't I'll end up taking it to the garage and will cost money, which I really don't want to spend right now.

 

[RobertCL]

Just for a bit of a conclusion to this, I took it to the local Renault Minute. They took the brakes to bits, said there was nothing wrong with the discs or pads, cleaned it all up, greased the calipers (or something like that), charged me £50 for an hours labour and the problem seems to be fixed